A Quote by Frans de Waal

The original form is the contagion of fear and alarm. You're in a flock of birds. One bird suddenly takes off. You have no time to wait and see what's going on. You take off, too. Otherwise, you're lunch.

Frans de Waal

Quote Topics

Alarm Bird Birds Contagion Fear Flock Form Going Lunch No Time Off Original Otherwise See Suddenly Take Takes Time Too Wait

Quote Author

Frans de Waal
Dutch - Scientist
Born: October 29, 1948

If one bird foraging in a flock on the ground suddenly takes off, all other birds will take off immediately after, before they even know what's going on. The one who stays behind may be prey.

Frans de Waal

We have an uncanny ability to make birds do what we want them to do. In Blood Simple there's a shot from the bumper of a car and it's going up this road and a huge flock of birds takes off at the perfect moment.

Joel Coen

The fox when it sees a flock of herons or magpies or birds of that kind, suddenly flings himself on the ground with his mouth open to look as he were dead; and these birds want to peck at his tongue, and he bites off their heads.

Leonardo da Vinci

Our planet's alarm is going off, and it is time to wake up and take action!

Leonardo DiCaprio

With a chemical alarm, you're going to build one that is oversensitive because you would rather the alarm go off and give you a false alarm than to err on the other side.

Norman Schwarzkopf

With a chemical alarm, you're going to build one that is oversensitive because you would rather the alarm go off and give you a false alarm than to err on the other side

Norman Schwarzkopf

When you see pictures of Gordie even at 50, you could see he was just a powerful man. You see Patty Marleau and he's built too. He's very durable because he's so strong, very flexible, but ultimately he puts in the work during the offseason. He doesn't take a day off and he's always trying to get better. He never takes a second off.

Joe Thornton

If people like to see me with my shirt off, it's enormously flattering. But that doesn't mean I'm going to take my shirt off all the time.

Henry Cavill

Every person I talk to has a story about how their smoke alarm went off or woke them up with a battery beeping. So you take it off the wall and you take the battery out and say 'screw this.' They hate the products.

Tony Fadell

Every person I talk to has a story about how their smoke alarm went off or woke them up with a battery beeping. So you take it off the wall and you take the battery out and say screw this. They hate the products.

Tony Fadell

You almost can't wait too long [to get married]. The longer you wait, the better off you are going to be. And the happier your kids are going to be, and the happier a mom you are going to be.

Elizabeth Gilbert

You take a couple of days off, and your swing is going to be off. I think it takes 15, 20 at-bats to really feel comfortable again.

Cody Bellinger

I was scared to death, but I made fear score points for me. Fear is right behind me, fear is six inches off my back, that's where fear is. I can feel its presence. But it's not going to catch me... I'm going to take fear and use it to my advantage.

Bruce Jenner

o one is right when it comes to destination weddings. It’s a big ask, requesting people take time off work and fly off to take a cruise just to see you get married, and they’re perfectly justified in saying no if they don’t have the time, the money, or simply the inclination.

Mallory Ortberg

Each time I?m coming out of my apartment I remember the quote of Coco Chanel; she said, ?Each time I?m leaving my apartment or my hotel, I?m looking at myself in the mirror and I take off one piece of my look. It?s always one thing too much.? And it?s a bit the same, always I take off my scarf or I take off my bag or jewellery because I like it simple. Coco Chanel is a great consultant I think.